Managed day-to-day DNA laboratory operations for the genetic research program, including experimental design, inventory management, budgeting, vendor management, lab safety/biosafety, quality control, and staff supervision.• Led teams of up to three direct reports, including performance evaluations, mentoring, problem solving, and advice on experimental design.• Consulted with breeding and malt customers to understand their needs and develop and implement genotyping solutions that improved variety quality.• Traveled across the United States and globally to attend conferences, foster a network of vendors and research partners, and maintain up-to-date understanding of trends in breeding research. • Managed vendor relationships and negotiated costs for supplies and equipment to achieve advantageous pricing. • Coordinated with legal department to structure and develop vendor contracts and payment terms. • Researched new technologies and methodologies to drive continuous improvements to markers per sample while identifying cost savings. ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS:○ Managed a multi-year project integrating genomic selection into seven international breeding programs with 250 barley lines, leading to selection of superior barley varieties. ○ Researched and selected a vendor to increase marker panel and reduce genotyping costs by four-fold per genotype call. ○ Partnered with three internal departments and two research institutions to manage a three-year backcrossing project using marker-assisted selection to integrate drought tolerance specific TILLING mutations into elite barley germplasm.○ Designed and created a relational database to hold over 10M records of genotypic data.○ Developed comprehensive strategy for high throughput genotyping by sequencing using NGS technology.

Conducted research on various strains of barley improve product quality and output. • Drove efficiency improvements to nucleic acid extraction of barley plant tissue and seeds.• Optimized SNP detection protocols using FRET/PCR-based KASP technology to increase throughput. • Analyzed advanced barley lines for marker-assisted selection and genetic homogeneity. • Supported other labs with technical troubleshooting and problem solving. ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS:○ As one of the program’s first employees, played a key role in program development, including developing and implementing protocols and standardizing methods for technology use. ○ Researched and recommended equipment and technologies for purchase, including 384-well plate thermal cyclers, 384-well plate readers, and epMotion and Oktopure robotic liquid handling systems.○ Optimized nucleic acid extraction processes with Oktopure to increase lab throughput from 400 to 3,000 samples per week while reducing time by 85%.○ Established a system using KASP genotyping to DNA fingerprint and determine purity of common barley varieties, improving quality of product.

Designed and constructed genetic components in plasmids to improve algal cell fatty acid synthesis for use in high-efficiency biodiesel production. Contributed to research and development of synthetic molecular signaling pathways in plants for use in detecting explosives.• Cloned plasmids and conducted genetic transformation of bacteria, algae, protoplasts, and Arabidopsis plants.• Conducted RNA profiling, including extraction, expression, and RNAi gene silencing.• Applied reporter assay systems such as PCR, beta-galactosidase, luciferase, and fluorescent protein quantification.• Maintained plants and aseptic protoplast, bacterial, and algal cell cultures and properly disposed of hazardous waste.

Analyzed molecular components of pathways involved in ecdysteroid regulation of molting in crustaceans.• Led experimental design and execution using in vitro tissue culture, PCR and RT-qPCR, gene cloning, fluorometry, and immunolocalization.• Collected data, performed statistical analysis, and created presentations on results. • Mentored a team of undergraduate students in laboratory techniques and research projects.